Battlefield 3

“War, huh, yeah. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing! Uh-huh.” Well not exactly. It’s good for hours and hours of really fun action packed first person shooting.

It’s taken me a while to get through this game but I’ve finally managed to complete it and the review follows…

Distributor: EARating: 18Release Date: 28 October 2011

As one of the biggest names in first person shooter games released this year, Battlefield 3 (BF3) has had a lot to prove, especially given all the hype around the game. Never mind all the “Call of Duty Killer” comments by EA, BF3 would be going head-to-head with Modern Warfare 3 come festive season. A challenge EA is very bravely willing to tackle head on.

Battlefield 3 is the latest of the eleven instalments in the Battlefield series (a direct sequel to Battlefield 2) by Swedish developer DICE using the new Frostbite 2 engine (used to create Medal of Honor and Need for speed Run). As with previous instalments Battlefield 3 has been heavily criticized for its poor offline campaign and praised for its multiplayer offering. While this release has a few new surprises (mostly the breath-taking visuals), the rest feels like a slight derail from the original path.

In an effort to match the story-telling power of other games in the genre, like Call of Duty and Modern Warfare, BF3 takes a more “Hollywood” approach to storytelling this go round, also attempting to use the non-linear flashback technique in an effort to create suspense. It’s often annoying, especially because the story simply isn’t as interesting as other titles in the genre.

Set in 2014, Staff Sergeant Henry “Black” Blackburn leads a five-man squad on a mission to search and rescue a missing US squad. They soon discover hostile militia called PLR, headed up by madman/villain Solomon, who is attempting to detonate nukes in major cities around the world. In the present he is held in a room, currently under interrogation by the CIA. Anybody else feel like this sort of story has been done to death?

Most people who play through the campaign mode might be disappointed by the length of gameplay. It’s terribly short in my opinion.

While there are some technical glitches here and there, the battle scenes are engaging and emulates real life war situations quite accurately (according to what I’ve seen in movies anyway). I often sat back after a real adrenaline rush and clutched my fist to feel my heart racing. The action is great!

But let’s be honest; most people will be playing Battlefield 3 for the awesome multiplayer campaign instead. If offline mode is the party then multiplayer is the crazier and more fun after party. The combat is engrossing and the maps are vast, something that most veterans have become accustomed to over the years. There are a host of unique features exclusive to multiplayer mode, which some may argue feels like a completely different game all together.

Battlefield 3′s multiplayer comes with four main classes – each with a specific skill. Assault allows you to heal you squad mates. Engineer can repair vehicles. Support offers support via ammo. Recon is the sniper.

Those who play online probably already own this title. Those who don’t – what are you waiting for? This is a worthy excuse for an ADSL connection.